Rivaled Love
by cherryOak21
Summary: So Yi Jeong finds his childhood sweetheart, and this time, he is determined to make her stay. Whatever the cost, even if it means breaking a certain heart. Problem is, Ga Eul isn't likely to stay single for long. Song Woo Bin's been waiting by the sidelines. He definitely wouldn't give up such a singular opportunity. Oh, what would Yi Jeong think?
1. The Cold Hearted Casanova

**A/N: This is my first try at SoEul fanfic. Please review and tell me what you think. Thank you! Btw, this is set after Yi Jeong has found Eun Jae and Eun Jae does not have a boyfriend. **

**Disclaimer: I don't own Boys Over Flowers or any characters in them.**

So Yi Jeong sighed. He lightly touched the potter's wheel and thought about their meeting in the museum earlier.

_*Flashback*_

"_I wasn't your air." She stated._

"_What?" _

"_I wasn't the air, Yi Jeong." She continued with a gentle half-smile on her face. "I was probably more like the wind, which you mistook for air. Being the wind, even I didn't realise it myself. I thought, if you wanted it, I could stay there as long as you wanted." She turned back to face Yi Jeong._

"_I don't understand what you're saying."_

"_For wind, once they leave a place, they can't return to it. Yi Jeong yah, go and look for your air." With that, she turned to leave, but Yi Jeong caught her arm. _

"_Promise me you won't disappear again like last time. Promise me."_

_She laughed, saying, "I won't. I promise."_

_Yi Jeong relaxed slightly. "Then I have a chance. Cha Eun Jae, I swear I'll get you back one day."_

Eun Jae was always the one who managed to find him in the end. She was the only one. This time, there would be a switch in roles and he would find her and hold on tight.

Ga Eul… She was the wind. He frowned, remembering all the false hopes he had given her. He would have to work hard to make her give up. _I'll probably break her heart,_ he realised with a pang of guilt. _But it can't be helped. _Getting up from the bench, he headed towards the door and got into his flashy orange sports car with a destination in mind. The porridge shop.

_(Ga Eul)_

Ga Eul absent-mindedly swiped the cloth over the table a few times, unaware that she had already repeated the same action for the past few minutes. Her thoughts travelled back to the pottery workshop. _Why did Yi Jeong sunbae seem so agitated just now? What did that tile mean to him? Unless… _A horrible thought struck Ga Eul. Before she had any more time to dwell on it, a soft tingling from the door interrupted her.

"Welc—" She started to bow, then straightened up hastily after realizing that it was So Yi Jeong. "Yi Jeong sunbae!" She greeted him warmly. " What are you doing here? Is there… is there anything you need to tell me?" Her dark brown eyes searched his pale face for answers, evident fear flashing in them.

_She must know_, Yi Jeong realised in desperation. _Well, all the better, I can get this over and done with_. The cold-hearted Casanova in him returned. He stepped forward. "Ga Eul, since you're my friend, I ought to tell you this. Recently, I found my childhood…" He paused before proceeding, "sweetheart and I intend to be with her again. For all these time I have been caring for you, I merely treated you like I would any other girl. So, I hope you won't have any fantasies about us getting together." He finished harshly, bracing himself for Ga Eul's reaction.

Surprisingly, she simply nodded and managed a faint smile. "Of course not, sunbae. I wish you luck with your childhood friend." Yi Jeong noted that she refused to use the word 'sweetheart' but was glad that she had not made a fuss. Once again, he marveled at her self-control over matters. _But then again, with Chu Ga Eul, everything is to expected._

Inclining his head curtly, he stepped out of the door and was gone in a flash, his sport car roaring down the street.

Ga Eul's head spun, and she gripped the edge of the table. _So unnie was sunbae's childhood sweetheart. _The realization left her cold and empty. Her naïve mind was unable to wrap around the fact that Yi Jeong had 'abandoned' her. _What would happen to all those time we spent together? All the pretend dates?_ She thought, reeling in shock. Recalling Yi Jeong's brusque words, she muttered bitterly, "Of course, only pretend. I was just someone he turned to for temporary relief. A relief shelter." A hollow laugh escaped her at the irony.

Suddenly, she wished someone was here for her. Anyone would be fine. Jan Di, any of the F4, just a random stranger would do. She sunk into a chair and putting her head in her hands, silent tears started to slide down her cheeks. The bell at the door rang unexpectedly; Ga Eul caught the scent of expensive men's perfume.

Wiping her tears with the back of her hand, she turned and saw someone she least expected. "Sunbae!"

**If you like, guess which sunbae it is. I'm sure all of you know. It's quite obvious. Anyways, please review:)**


	2. Don Juan

**A/N: Here's the next chapter! Enjoy and review! **

**To ****Raerubi and jakbnimble: Haha:) Don't worry, he'll be really jealous in the later chapters.**

**To starrylaa: I'm glad you like the start :D**

**To Phyonnah: I'll try to update often:)**

**To GS0412: Thank you for the constructive feedback:)**

**To winnie78: Thank you for your review:)**

**To yuzanasution: Hope this chapter is long enough :D Maybe too long?**

**To Guest and Brujita-Potter: Thanks for reviewing and I'm glad you like the fanfic:)**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Boys Over Flowers (much as I'd like to) or any characters in them.**

Her eyes fell on a gorgeous guy with sideswept brown hair. "Woo Bin sunbae!" She called, taken aback. "What are you doing here?" Song Woo Bin spun a chair on its two legs before sitting down. "I've come to see you, Ga Eul shii," He smiled a heart-stopping smile at her.

"What do you want to eat? Pumpkin porridge? Seafood porridge?" Unaffected, Ga Eul smiled faintly at him, turning away towards the counter to hide her red-rimmed eyes. "Sounds appetizing, but no thanks. I'd much rather know why you were crying just now." Woo Bin's voice rang from behind. Ga Eul, who was fiddling with the cutlery in the tray on the counter top, froze and the spoon she was holding clattered to the floor.

"Woo Bin sunbae, I…" Ga Eul stammered, bending down quickly to retrieve the fallen spoon. Leaning back in the chair, he raised an eyebrow at her. "No, I mean, I would prefer to tell you another time." She countered bravely, swallowing tears that were threatening to overflow again.

"Ok." Woo Bin's shoulders lifted in a shrug. "But now, I'm bringing you somewhere." He swiftly rose from his chair and gently pulling Ga Eul's hand, he brought her out of the shop. "Sunbae!" Ga Eul protested as she removed her apron just in time. A pang of sadness hit her. _Yi Jeong sunbae used to do this too… _She thought wistfully. A sharp voice at the back of her head reminded her. _Stop this ridiculous behaviour, Chu Ga Eul. Your Yi Jeong sunbae is not coming back._

_(Ga Eul)  
_

Before she knew it, she was strapped into the front seat next to Woo Bin and he started the engine at once. "Sunbae!" Ga Eul exclaimed in fright. "Go slower!" Once again, she found herself comparing Woo Bin to Yi Jeong. Yi Jeong was more considerate of women's feelings; he drove carefully and steadily. Woo Bin was a different case altogether. Even though he was the Don Juan of F4, he liked doing things which he enjoyed without caring whether the women enjoyed it or not; in this case, driving his loud yellow sports car at a dangerously reckless speed.

As Woo Bin turned his head to wink mischievously at Ga Eul, she found herself enjoying the carefree feeling that Woo Bin had somehow managed to give her. His mindless driving helped Ga Eul to sort out her feelings; or more accurately, just throw the lot out of the window.

"Where are we going? What about the porridge shop?" Ga Eul wondered aloud. Woo Bin chuckled mysteriously. "You'll know in a while. I'm quite sure you'll enjoy it, Ga Eul shii, based on what I've observed. The porridge shop will be able to survive without you for a day, so don't worry." He swerved his car as it shot past another tight corner. It was not only a few seconds later that Ga Eul fully registered what Woo Bin said. _Observing me?_ Ga Eul toyed with this idea in her mind for a while. _Woo Bin sunbae has been observing me? _

Looking at Woo Bin out of the corner of her eye, she found herself noticing the little details that she had previously not seen. His eyes, which she had presumed to be merely black, was actually a captivating dark brown. His slightly upturned eyebrows and sharp nose gave him the look of a typical "Prince Charming". Woo Bin angled his head slightly and caught Ga Eul staring at him. "Admiring me?" Ga Eul blushed and looked out of the window, pretending to be oblivious.

_(Woo Bin)_

The car veered to the left and slid neatly into a natural grass-covered car lot with a screech. Woo Bin got out of the car and held the door open for her. "Where is this place?" Ga Eul stepped out of the car and looked around her surroundings in awe; so taken she was with the beauty that she completely forgot about the incident with Yi Jeong earlier.

It was a one-level Victorian house, complete with whitewashed outer walls and large panes of French windows. Curtains flew gaily in the breeze and the arbor swing on the large balcony rocked ever so gently. The majestic pointed roofs gave the house a homey and elegant look. In front of the house was a freshly-mown garden with beautiful kaleidoscopic flowering plants and weeping willows surrounding the entire garden. A playground was partially hidden from view in the far corner of the garden by low stone walls.

"Sunbae. What is this place?" Ga Eul breathed, taking in the splendor of the house and garden. Before Woo Bin could answer, about a dozen well-dressed children ran down the steps of the house and flew into Woo Bin's waiting arms. Shouts and screams of "Hyung!" could be heard echoing from the children. Woo Bin laughed, picking up a little boy of no more than five and twirling him in the air. Ga Eul stood at the side awkwardly, watching in envy as the children fawned over Woo Bin, tugging at his sleeves, the edge of his coat and hugging his legs.

Noticing Ga Eul's discomfort, he introduced Ga Eul to the children. "Children, this is Ga Eul unnie. Say hello!" "Anyeong haseyo, Ga Eul unnie!" A chorus of voices rang out at Ga Eul. "Anyeong!" Ga Eul grinned and waved at them. A six year-old girl asked daringly, "By chance, is Hyung your namja chingu?" Ga Eul blushed prettily. "Aniyo! Your Hyung is only my friend." "Children! It's dessert time!" A lady with short black hair popped her head out of the door and beckoned to the children crowding around Woo Bin and Ga Eul. Shrieking with delight, the children left the visitors standing there and they all rushed up to the woman who shooed them into the house.

"The children are so adorable." Woo Bin cracked a smile. "True. Is this an orphanage, sunbae? Why do the children here call you Hyung? Do you come here often?" Ga Eul peppered Woo Bin with questions. Woo Bin held up his hands in mock defense. "Whoa! You're like a machine gun, Ga Eul shii." Ga Eul glared at him for a moment before her curiosity finally overtook. "Tell me, sunbae! And this is the largest and prettiest orphanage I've ever seen! I wonder who built this place…"

_Now I finally understand why Yi Jeong likes Chu Ga Eul… She's certainly a different country bumpkin,_ Woo Bin thought, watching Ga Eul wait in expectance for his answers.

**Yay! Chapter finally finished. I was actually planning to write more, but I thought it would be too long and bore all of you to death. Anyways, I know this is a lousy cliffhanger (which is not even considered a cliffhanger) but please do continue reviewing and following the fanfic! I promise and guarantee the next chapter will be much more eventful:)  
**

**Btw, for those who don't know, namja chingu means boyfriend. And hyung means brother, but I'm sure most of you know. I was planning to provide a link to the picture of the Victorian house described but for some reason, fanfiction always cuts off part of the link. So... if anyone is really that interested, you could always google modern Victorian houses:)  
**


	3. A Sort Of Date

**A/N: Thank you all for your reviews! I hope you enjoy this chapter. And the next chapter too, since I updated two at the same time:) **

**Disclaimer: Nope, I do not own Boys Over Flowers or any of the characters in it. **

"I'm sponsoring this orphanage and as to why the children call me Hyung, it's because I volunteer here often. I know Ga Eul shii enjoys spending time with young children, so I brought you here." Woo Bin found himself answering her questions patiently whereas towards the other women, he would probably brush them off carelessly. _But then again, I wouldn't bring them to this place to start with and they wouldn't ask such questions too._

He noticed Ga Eul looking at him with a kind of newfound admiration and respect. "I never knew sunbae did all these before. Do the rest of the F4 know?" Adding an afterthought, she continued, "Would the famous and incredibly rich F4 even think of sponsoring an orphanage?"

Sensing a hint of sarcasm in her tone, Woo Bin teased. "Of course the F4 doesn't know. They're not interested. Maybe with the exception of Ji Hoo. He comes here occasionally with me. And what would you more would you expect from the ignorant Gu Jun Pyo and Casanova So Yi Jeong? Don't go telling your Yi Jeong what I said."

A flicker of hurt flashed though Ga Eul's eyes and it was gone before Woo Bin could register it. She retorted quickly enough, "Yi Jeong sunbae is not _my_ Yi Jeong. Anyway, I'm going in to see the children." With that, she marched away. "You're going in the wrong direction, Ga Eul shii." Flushing a beetroot red, Ga Eul turned and strode off towards the house valiantly, doing her best to scowl at a laughing Woo Bin.

"My turn, Unnie!" Two young girls jostled their way to the front as they clamoured for Ga Eul's attention. Smiling cheerily, she swung both of them off their feet as they screamed in exuberance. Woo Bin, who was building a toy fort with a few young boys, grinned in her direction, giving her a thumbs-up. _Whoa. Not bad. Only half an hour and she has them eating out of her hand. The number of hours I had to spend here to make these monkeys call me Hyung willingly…_ Woo Bin found himself appreciating Ga Eul's talent of managing young children.

Her loosely curled hair fell over her shoulders as she ruffled the children's hair, her face beaming with radiance. _Ga Eul shii looks best when she's having fun. She looks gorgeous… _Woo Bin unconsciously thought as he observed her. _Song Woo Bin! _A voice in his head chided him sternly. _Chu Ga Eul is a no-go zone! She's Yi Jeong's. I can't go there. Besides, _he reassured himself, _I don't want to go there, either. _

He wasn't so sure about that last thought.

"Did you have fun today?" Ga Eul sighed contentedly. "Yeah, I did. Will you bring me back again, sunbae?" "If you like." Woo Bin dazzled a smile at Ga Eul. "So where do you want to go now?" Suddenly remembering something, Ga Eul gripped Woo Bin's arm in excitement. "Sunbae! Can we go watch the new movie on show? And then… go eat the value-meal at the fast food restaurant?"

Woo Bin scoffed. "What? So that's what you commoners do for relaxation? Are you sure, Ga Eul shii? A rich guy standing in front of you, asking where you want to go to and this is all you can think of?" Ga Eul gave him a puppy-eye look. "Please, sunbae? Just this once?" Staring into her innocent brown wells, Woo Bin felt his defences soften and he gave in to her once again. "Just this once," He agreed grudgingly. "Kamsamnida, sunbae!" Slipping her fingers unthinkingly into his, she dragged him off to his car.

Woo Bin realised he didn't mind, and actually enjoyed feeling the warmth against his palm.

_(Woo Bin)_

"Do you want some?" Ga Eul whispered, holding out the tub of popcorn. "No thanks," Woo Bin replied, trying his best to keep the disdain out of his voice. Apparently, he succeeded as Ga Eul nodded and returned her attention to the movie screen. Woo Bin asked himself for what was the millionth time since the show started what he was doing here in this low-class place. _Of course, just because Ga Eul shii brought me here. But really, she should have chosen a better place. The popcorn tastes sickeningly sweet, the lights are too bright, the chairs feel like they have springs sticking out. _Woo Bin suppressed a groan as he removed his arm from the arm rest. _And there is bubblegum stuck to the arm rest. Great. My coat is ruined. _

He fidgeted in his seat for a few moments, yawning loudly, until Ga Eul clamped her hand on his arm and muttered, "_Please_ be quiet sunbae. Others are trying to enjoy the movie." Stealing a glance at Ga Eul, Woo Bin caught the annoyed expression on her face. "Sorry." He murmured an apology. _Gosh! Why couldn't the movie just end now?_

"Were you very bored just now, sunbae? The Don Juan couldn't stand a two-hour movie?" Ga Eul smirked, both of them heading out towards the carpark. "No way. I'm just not into these kinds of movies. All those crying…" He shuddered, then brightened up and he continued. "Since you have gotten part of the deal, it's my turn now." "Your turn to what?" Ga Eul felt apprehension course through her. "We're not going to the fast food restaurant anymore, Ga Eul shii. I'm bringing you somewhere else." "Woo Bin sunbae! You promised!" She retorted, keeping up with his pace. Chortling, he answered, "But Ga Eul, I think you forgot. I'm the Don Juan, so who said anything about keeping promises? Besides, it's somewhere you would like, too. So don't worry." "I'd be a fool if I didn't worry." Woo Bin heard Ga Eul mumbling to herself and his smile widened.

**Go on, tempt yourself, on to the next chapter:)**


	4. The Dark Alley

**A/N: The next chapter…**

**Disclaimer: Again, I repeat, I do not own Boys Over Flowers or any of the characters in it. **

**To all my reviewers: Thank you so much for reviewing frequently! I appreciate this tremendously. As for the jealousy scenes, it won't be in so soon. But do be patient, and I hope you all enjoy this chapter:)Don't forget to review!  
**

"See? I told you, Ga Eul shii, you wouldn't be disappointed." Woo Bin said smugly. Ga Eul rolled her eyes. Pulling on her skates, she headed to the ice-skating ring. Yes, she did enjoy skating, but this particular skating rink, actually, just ice-skating in general, brought back painful memories of her "pretend dates" with Yi Jeong. A part of her briefly wondered how Jan Di would react if she told her about Yi Jeong. _Probably rush over to his studio and deliver him a roundhouse kick. _

Sliding gracefully into the skating rink, she started twirling around. The refreshing cold air greeted her cheeks as the cool breeze swirled around her and her breath came out as a puff of steam. Suddenly, the air turned frigid and she shivered. Watching a guy at the other end of the rink pull his girlfriend into a warm embrace, she was again strongly reminded of Yi Jeong. How he had so sincerely handed her his coat that night… It was only just an act.

As if answering her unspoken question, someone draped a thick coat over her shoulders. Turning in surprise, she saw Woo Bin standing behind her without his coat. Judging by the feel of it, it had to be another expensive luxurious coat which the F4 seemed to have an endless collection of. "Thank you, sunbae," Ga Eul expressed her thanks, dipping her head. "But aren't you cold? You can have it back." Ga Eul noted the wind ruffling Woo Bin's carefully styled hair. Woo Bin replied with a short laugh. "Ga Eul shii, don't you know it's rude to return things that people have given you, if only for a short while? Just keep it for the time being."

"Why are you being so nice? Do you want to woo me, sunbae?" Ga Eul said with dark humor in her voice, breaking the silence in which they had maintained in the past few minutes of skating. "What? You wish, Ga Eul shii. Besides, country bumpkins like you are not my style." He returned, covering up his shock at her question. "Then why did you look for me at the porridge shop?" Ga Eul half-muttered to herself. Woo Bin registered the accuse; he preferred to act as though he did not hear it. However, the country bumpkin's one sentence tortured him throughout the entire skating session. _She's right. Why did I go looking for her at the porridge shop?_

_(Woo Bin)  
_

A symphony began playing from Woo Bin's phone. He took the call and after hearing what was on the other end, his brows furrowed as he replied, "I'll be there soon." Ga Eul, who was removing her skates and Woo Bin's coat, asked in curiosity, "Are you needed, sunbae?" He forced a smile at her. "It's nothing, really. I'll send you back first."

"No, it's okay sunbae. If it's important, you should go. Anyway, my house is near this skating rink and I'm an adult, surely you trust that I'll be able to return home safely?" Woo Bin couldn't help but snort lightly at her intended sarcasm. "Are you sure? I mean, F4's Don Juan doesn't let his dates go back themselves." Ga Eul raised an eyebrow. "A date, sunbae?"

"A sort-of date." Woo Bin kicked himself mentally for letting that slip. Ga Eul teased, "Ahhh, you want to go on a date with me, sunbae? Just go, I can go back on my own. If you say anything more, you'll be even more naggy than my ahjumma." Woo Bin made a face. "Fine. Hurry up, it's getting dark."

"Bye sunbae!" Ga Eul called as she headed towards the main road. Woo Bin waved but the feeling of gnawing anxiety increased in his gut. He couldn't seem to shake off the sense of foreboding of letting Ga Eul go home on her own. Besides, she wasn't as aggressive as Jan Di.

_(Ga Eul)_

Ga Eul shoved her hands deep into her pockets. She mulled over what had happened today. _First, So Yi Jeong comes looking for me and tells me very subtly that he doesn't like me. Then, Woo Bin sunbae comes along and wastes my time, bringing me to all these weird places. Which I don't even want to go._

_Hmm… Are you sure, Ga Eul? _A taunting voice in her head mocked her. _When he asked you where you wanted to go after the orphanage, why didn't you go home straight away? And dare you say you didn't enjoy yourself? Anyway, So Yi Jeong doesn't want you anymore, you're free to be with Woo Bin sunbae. You like him, Chu Ga Eul. _

Lightning sliced through the night sky, interrupting her thoughts. Thunder rumbled in the distance and the first few drops of rain started pattering down. Quickening her pace, she turned into a dark alley which she took occasionally when she had to go home promptly. _And this is an emergency! So stop thinking about So Yi Jeong and Woo Bin sunbae!_ Ga Eul reminded herself.

Raising her coat to shield herself from the rain, she thought she heard a drunken laughter behind her, followed by heavy clumping of shoes. Spinning around abruptly, she didn't see anyone. _I must have imagined it. Really, Ga Eul, your imagination is getting more vivid. _As she started walking once again, the footsteps could be heard again. It sounded as though a person was doing a very clumsy tap dance. Ga Eul's heart lurched. Person. More than one? It certainly sounded like that. _No no no, there's no one. No one._

The fat droplets of rain cascaded heavily onto her face. Running now, she rounded the corner. A wild cackle echoed from behind her. _Run, Ga Eul, run! _She panted, rushing forward, only to meet up with a cold, unfeeling concrete wall. Her heart slammed into her ribcage. A dead end. Literally. "Why run so fast, darling? We've been waiting for you." A voice slurred from behind. Dropping her bag, she turned slowly to face the person, or more accurately, people. Her hand groped around the dark corner and finally curled around an iron pole.

**A cliffhanger! I'm sorry to leave you all hanging like this :( Btw, the special two-chapter post is to compensate for the next two weeks. I'm having exams soon so I can't update. Maybe I will, if I have the time, but it's highly unlikely. Therefore, I apologise to reviewers who want me to update as soon as possible.  
**

**So anyways, here's a bit of sneak peek into the next chapter. It's not the typical kind which all of you think it is. At least to me. Oh, it also involves Yi Jeong. Yay! Look forward to it. And please review! Thanks:)  
**

**To everyone who is having exams/tests/job interviews/trials/etc., here's a hearty 'good luck!' shout from me:) Good luck to myself too. Hehe :D**


	5. Utterly Defenceless

**A/N: Hi all, sorry for making you all wait so long. Technically, my exams aren't over yet, but there's still a bit of time left to the next exam so hey, why not update? I'm feeling bad so I hope this chapter makes up for it! Thanks once again to all those added this fanfic to their favourites list and followed this story. **

**Of course, not forgetting the extremely patient reviewers :)**

**To jakbnimble: Haha:) Well, Ga Eul's safe. And thanks for wishing me good luck!**

**To winnie78: Sorry for updating after such a long wait. Thanks also for wishing me luck!**

**To MOMO-YANG: Hope you enjoy this chapter:)**

**To hosterio: True. Thanks for the recommendation! **

**To iris: I had to go to google translate to read the review… But still, thanks for the review and I'm glad you like the fanfic :D**

**To lalala: Hope you like this chapter.**

**To the two guests: I'll try to update more often:)**

**To Sielouch-06: Thanks for reviewing and adding my story to your list of favourites:)**

**Well, on with the chapter!**

**Disclaimer: I don't own BOF or any characters in it. **

Yi Jeong ran his hand through his hair in frustration. He had, yet again, brought Eun Jae out. First, to his museum, then to his workshop, and remembering Eun Jae's fondness for cakes in a particular café, he even put aside his dislike away for common cafés and took her there. She had rejected him, not unlike all their previous dates. Of course Eun Jae wouldn't think of it as dates, but Yi Jeong reminded himself that it would soon be. _After all, I'm the Casanova. Surely, Eun Jae will fall for me?_

The rain pattered outside his car window and he maneuvered his car through the seemingly deserted streets. Turning his head slightly to the side, he caught sight of movement down one of the alleys. From his rain-dotted window, he could vaguely trace with his eyes blurry outlines of three people moving awkwardly in front of a wall. Yi Jeong stopped his car to watch and he shook his head in amusement. Even if he was drunk, he wouldn't do such a stupid thing. Besides, he could hold his liquor fairly well.

_Wait…_ He frowned, peering hard through the curtain of mist and rain. _Is that someone against the wall? _Carried faintly over the noise of rain was a sharp scream. _It sounds like Ga Eul-shii. No, it can't be. After this morning, she should be huddling in her room, crying. _Another scream pierced the night and Yi Jeong perceived desperation and familiarity in that scream. _It is Ga Eul-shii! _Yi Jeong thought in horror. Ignoring the rain, he got out of the car and started towards her. "Ga Eul-shii!" Half-running towards her, he called out her name repeatedly. _That foolish girl! The dumb country bumpkin! What is she doing in such a place at such a time?!_

Somewhere at the back of his mind, he wondered why he was ruining his favourite Armani suit for a girl who he had just dumped.

_(Ga Eul)_

"What do you want?" Ga Eul shouted at them, her grip on the iron pole tightening. The wind whipped her hair and the burly-looking three drunkards, looked her up and down appreciatively. "What do we want, darling?" The middle one took a step forward and asked, a nasty grin widening on his face. "You want money? Is that it? Take my whole purse," Ga Eul refused to think about the implicit meaning of the man's question and dug into her pocket for the purse before throwing it at him. "And get lost! Before… before I scream for help!" She attempted to sound bold, but her empty threat was lost in the howl of the wind.

The three men laughed derisively. "Scream! Go on, see who's here to help you!" As one, they moved with deliberate slowness. Ga Eul screamed. "Don't come near!" The middle drunkard raised his hand and slapped Ga Eul's face. Everything seemed to be happening in slow motion and she felt a searing pain across her cheek. She screamed once more, hoping wildly for someone to appear. As if answering her pleas, she heard a voice calling her name. "Yi Jeong sunbae!" She yelled out without a moment's thought. "Yi Jeong sunbae!" Her heart clenched. _Is it possible? Is So Yi Jeong here?_

"Shut up! Stop calling for your sunbae! No one's here to help you!" In a moment of confusion, she raised the iron pole and brought it hard onto the back of the guy wearing a red Nike cap. The man doubled over in pain and crumpled to the ground. His buddy next to him in baggy jeans hollered in rage. "You shrew!" A fierce punch was delivered to her jaw and she felt the iron pole being snatched from her hand. Once again, an excruciating pain shot through her jaw and she cupped it tenderly.

"I'll teach you!" Someone else grabbed her coat and flung it to the ground. Ga Eul struggled valiantly, trying her best to bite the hand that was clamping over her mouth. She felt her sleeve being torn out and the hard droplets of rain pelting painfully down on her bare arm. As she kicked out, feeling triumph wash over her as she felt her foot come into contact with someone's leg.

Looking up through her hazy vision, she saw the man with baggy jeans leering at her. He seized her collar and started slobbering down her neck. Convulsing in disgust, Ga Eul kneed him in the stomach and stumbled down the alley, only to be caught back by the roots of her hair. She cried out in agony, her plea reverberating through the desolate alley. Black spots began dancing in her line of vision and Ga Eul fought to stay conscious. _Please, just let anyone come now!_ Because she knew, very soon, she would be utterly defenseless.

_(Yi Jeong)_

His coat flapping ridiculously behind him, Yi Jeong dashed around the corner just in time to see Ga Eul being pulled back. She pitched back against the brick wall and the three drunkards advanced on her menacingly, their fingers outstretched eagerly as Ga Eul slumped to the ground. His eyes widened in panic and his right leg was extending towards her when he heard the clicking of boots against the cold concrete floor. A second later, he saw a tall figure brush past him from the opposite corner, the stranger's leg rising up to deliver a powerful kick to the nearest drunkard.

**Oh damn, sorry! Not another cliffhanger! I wanted to write more, but the chapter would be really long plus I needed to revise. It's the first time I've ever written something like this, I really need your feedback! Was it a little too squeamish for some of you? I'm not sure, so please do review! Mental cookies for the reviewers!**


	6. Can't Stay Away

**A/N: Hi, thanks for reviewing! At least I know I didn't fail my first sort-of action scene:) Sorry for letting you all wait so long! Deluxe chocolate-chip mental cookies to all those who wished me good luck for my exams! To be fair, mental candy canes to all my reviewers so far and the favouriters and the followers:) I'm sorry they're all mental treats, you'll just have to imagine them in your mouth. And if the above sounds crazy and idiotic, you'll have to forgive me. These are the side effects of having brain-cell-killing exams for two consecutive weeks XD And I'm on high mode now, as you can tell. My exams are O-V-E-R! Anyways, on with the chapter!**

**To Soeul83: Glad you like the fanfic! Enjoy this chapter:)**

**To winnie78: Thanks for reviewing:) I'll update sooner**

**To starrylaa: Nope, it's okay. That's the whole point :D Thanks for wishing me good luck!**

**To yuza nazution: Thanks for liking the story:) I'll make longer updates**

**To Sielouch-06: Don't worry, she's okay. And I like it too!**

**To jakbnimble: Thanks for your really awesome review too! And yup, relieved that the description had the desired effect. I was beginning to think that the description was a fail:)**

**To Momo-yang: My exams are over, so I'll be posting more frequent and longer chapters :D**

**To Hosterio: Haha, I joined already. And thanks for liking my story!**

**To Lalala: Thanks for wishing me luck! And yup, it's Woo Bin!**

**To the Guests: Hope you all enjoy this chapter:) And I'll be continuing it all the way to the end.**

**To Guest 123: Thanks for the compliment and here's the chapter!**

**To ****Andantecantabile: Glad you like the GE-WB scenes:)**

**To kdramacrazy: Sorry I left it for so long, I really had to attend to my exams:)**

**To Musiclover24: I'll update sooner, since I have more time now**

**To PassageWanderer: Lol, thanks anyways:)**

**Disclaimer: I don't own BOF or any of the characters in it.**

Woo Bin brought his leg up in a twist and the end of his heel slammed painfully into the man's nose. He heard something crack and the man screamed, toppling to the ground. Grabbing the nearest man by his collar, he rammed him into the wall and the drunkard slid to the ground like a sack of wet, limp potatoes. "Are you going now, or do I have to break something?" Woo Bin growled at the remaining man, who was cowering against the empty pile of boxes. "Ani, ani, I'm going now," He bowed hurriedly, retreating from sight.

Frowning, he crouched next to Ga Eul, and realised that she was shivering violently and her lips were a deathly pale. He took in her torn shirt and muddy shoes and skirt. "Ga Eul-shii? Ga Eul-shii!" He touched his hand to her forehead, and withdrew it sharply. She was burning. Shrugging off his thick coat, he put it around her shoulders. "Sun…sunbae… I'm so cold… So cold…" She trembled, her long fingers drawing the coat around her tightly.

Woo Bin felt a tug at his heartstrings and holding Ga Eul's head in the crook of his arm, he felt something stirring inside him as he looked into her brown eyes. _What's wrong with me? She's Yi Jeong's! No way, don't you even think about that. Unless…_ Woo Bin snorted, caught up in his thoughts. _Yi Jeong would be mad to give Ga Eul up. _The sound of Ga Eul's chattering teeth jolted him back to present. Carrying her bridal-style, he walked back to his car, unaware of someone slinking into the dark shadows.

_(Yi Jeong)_

Yi Jeong slid behind the wall, watching as Woo Bin draped his coat over Ga Eul. _What's up with Woo Bin? Country bumpkins aren't his style, I should know, shouldn't I? _A shard of uncertainty pierced his heart. There was no mistaking the look in his best friend's eyes as he walked to his car with Ga Eul in his arms.

_(Ga Eul)_

Just as Ga Eul sank to the ground, she heard the sound of something cracking. A loud bang. Then someone's low, charming voice, sounding threatening. The faint clumping of heavy shoes slowly fading. Her vision blurred, images were shifting about, and the black spots increased in number. They just wouldn't go away. Her head pounded achingly. A particularly fierce wind blew past her, and she clutched the warm comforting coat that was put around her.

Her foggy mind fought to think. _Since when did I have a coat around me?_ Looking up, her heart soared. _So Yi Jeong! Yi Jeong sunbae!_ So it really was him just now! "Sun… sunbae, I'm so cold… So cold…" She complained, the cold seeping into her bones. Drawing the coat tightly around her again, confusion clouded her mind.

Her eyebrows scrunched together slightly as she raised her hand in a weak attempt to touch Yi Jeong's hair but failed. _Yi Jeong sunbae has caramel brown hair? Wasn't it black all along?_ But he had a look of such intense…worry? Hurt? Ga Eul couldn't place it, but only Yi Jeong sunbae looked at her this way in the past; no one else ever did.

Ga Eul felt herself being gathered into the person's arms. Whether it was Yi Jeong sunbae or Woo Bin sunbae, she was too muddled to think. Darkness enveloped and she dipped into a dreamless sleep.

_(Woo Bin)_

"Who is this, Young Master?" The butler in the Song Mansion inquired. "A friend," Woo Bin replied shortly. "Get one of the maids here and tell her to go to the guest room on the second floor." The butler bowed politely and went down the spiral staircase. Ga Eul stirred in his arms and groaned softly. Taking the steps two at a time, he arrived at the room and set Ga Eul down carefully on the bed. She turned over on her side and continued sleeping. With one last worried glance at the girl with dark brown hair on the king-sized bed, he headed for the bathroom to get a basin of cold water and a towel.

Returning from the bathroom, he spotted a maid standing respectfully at the gilt-framed mahogany door. "Come in." Gesturing to Ga Eul, he continued, "Help this lady here to clean up and come out when you're done. Hurry." "Yes, Young Master." The maid bowed politely and Woo Bin exited the room.

Retreating to his safe haven, his personal study, Woo Bin rested his feet on the table and massaged his temples. _What am I doing all this for? Right now, I should be contacting Yi Jeong and getting him to fetch Ga Eul. What am I doing? Didn't you see how Jun Pyo dealt with Ji Hoo when he realised Ji Hoo and Geum Jan Di liked each other? You'll get kicked out of F4 if you continue like this! Call Yi Jeong, now!_ Try as he might, Woo Bin couldn't get his hand to reach out for his phone, lying a mere 5 inches away on his table. His hand refused to budge. Sighing, he gave up and turned almost exasperatedly to the door. _The maid should be done by now. _

Somehow, he just couldn't stay away from a particular girl.

_(Ga Eul)_

Ga Eul felt the comfortable fabric and the all-too-soft pillow underneath her. Yawning slightly, she wondered when her own bed at home had been so soothing. "…she's fine, Young Master, apart from some bruises on her jaw…" A female voice floated into her ears. "Thank you. You are dismissed." A male voice, sounding musical yet slightly frustrated at the same time replied. There was a scraping of feet and the door closed slightly.

The sound of water splashing slightly could be heard and the next moment, she felt a cool towel being placed on her forehead. Opening her eyes a tiny crack, her soft brown eyes met Woo Bin's firm ones. "Ah, Ga Eul-shii. You're awake." He gently lifted the towel from her forehead and dropped it into the basin next to him.

Ga Eul felt a prick of disappointment. _So, it was Woo Bin sunbae who saved me, not… Chu Ga Eul! Stop thinking of So Yi Jeong, already! _Ga Eul stifled her thoughts and tuned in back. "Sunbae, how long was I out? And is this your… house?" Ga Eul briefly contemplated on the word 'house'. This room alone was easily bigger than half her house. "A few hours, I think. And yes, this is my house. Were you hoping for Yi Jeong's house?" Woo Bin teased, but there was a unmistakable flicker of hurt in those eyes.

_(Woo Bin)_

Woo Bin regretted those words as soon as they were out. Ga Eul looked away awkwardly and silence hung like poison in the air between them. "Um…" _Um? What kind of word is um? _"I should go call Yi Jeong and ask him to fetch you back." Woo Bin got up and proceeded to the door when Ga Eul caught his sleeve. Woo Bin's heart stuttered slightly and he frowned, displeased at his reaction _What? Do I have heart problems?_ He turned, somewhat reluctantly, to face Ga Eul.

"Sunbae, about this morning, I never told you why I cried…"

**Ah, I know this is just a filler chapter. But believe me, it's necessary for the future chapters:) Okay, I admit it's not my best chapter. But still, bear with me? So anyways, I needed to ask for this new writing style, do you all like me to repeat the same scene in different people's point-of-view or do you prefer to just continue with the story instead of repeating the same scene over and over again? If you don't get what I mean, feel free to pm me:) Or refer to the first few paragraphs. But if you do, review(!) and tell me your opinions. Thanks:)**

**Btw, I'm thinking of arranging an OC for Ji Hoo. He's kind of like my favourite character in F4 so…it's not nice to let him be '****forever alone', is it? ****And I've got their story completely planned out, only I can't decide whether to put it in this story or create another one. So, help me out? And yes, I know I sound annoying, but hey, take a few seconds to review:) Reviews make my day! **


	7. Spared Him

**A/N: Hi all! Thanks so much for all the reviews and responding to my new writing style! 22 reviews for one chapter? You all rock, awesome reviewers! I never expected that much! Sorry I can't respond to them individually, I promise I'll do that next chapter! And just to clarify, yes, Yi Jeong was supposed to save Ga Eul, but Woo Bin reached first. So, does that clear up nicely? Sorry for the extremely late update, I was having a terrible case of writer's block which is most annoying. It always hits me when I have lots of time on my hands. Gosh, I'm feeling so guilty now. Hope this chapter makes up for it!:)**

**Btw, I need your help for something else. I started a new fanfic recently called Breaking Out. It's about Ji Hoo and an OC. Personally, I rather like that new writing style but I've only received two reviews… Aw… So, I would appreciate it very much if you could take some time to read it and leave some reviews. Is there something wrong with the style of writing, or is it the plot which is not interesting enough? Or maybe it's something to do with the characters in it? Please help me out, thank you!**

**Anyways, enjoy this chapter! I hope the writer's block hasn't affected it much:) And of course, the usual—**

**Disclaimer: I don't own BOF or any of the characters in it.**

Woo Bin was suddenly interested in spite of himself. Moving swiftly, he sunk into the chair next to the bed. He had a sneaking suspicion that it was something to do with Yi Jeong. Ga Eul stoned whenever he mentioned him. _I wonder what it is?_ Ga Eul took a deep shuddering breath, as though steeling herself. "This morning, Yi…Yi Jeong sunbae came to the porridge shop and told me that he found his childhood friend—" "Cha Eun Jae?" Woo Bin cut her off. Ga Eul's eyes widened. "Sunbae? You know Eun Jae unnie?" Woo Bin smiled, but the gesture didn't quite reach his eyes. "Of course we know her, she was practically Yi Jeong's shadow when we were young. But she was really nice," He hastily added, not wanting to portray Eun Jae as a scheming woman.

To his surprise, Ga Eul simply smiled sadly and stated, "Yes, I know Eun Jae unnie. She was my pottery teacher. I… I understand why Yi Jeong sunbae would like her." Nearing the end of her sentence, her usually musical voice sounded close to cracking. The note of dejection in her words was easily detected by Woo Bin and all he wanted to do at that moment was to hold Ga Eul in a tight embrace. He managed to rein himself in, but the convulsive movement of his hand did not escape Ga Eul's sight. _She looks terrible. _And then, as an afterthought, _I'm going to kill Yi Jeong._ "Sunbae? What's wrong with your hand?" Woo Bin forced another half-hearted smile then reached his hand out to her. " Nothing. It's getting late, I'll send you back now." Ga Eul walked to the car without protest. None of them spoke throughout the ride, silence hanging in the air between them like icy tendrils.

As the car veered neatly into the parking lot underneath Ga Eul's apartment, she stepped out swiftly. With his hand on the steering wheel, Woo Bin was about to turn out when Ga Eul called him back. "Sunbae," She started. "You won't go looking for Yi Jeong sunbae, right?" _She knows? She can read me so well._ "Yah Ga Eul-shii, I won't," Woo Bin reassured her, his face a blank mask but with guilt building up in his heart. Ga Eul nodded, an unconvinced look on her face and headed to the lobby. Woo Bin watched her back figure retreat then yanking on the driving stick, he powered off into the night.

_(Yi Jeong)_

Yi Jeong sat at the table with his legs crossed, brooding. Eun Jae had just told him clearly and firmly that he should stop wasting time on her. He couldn't understand what he had done wrong. _There must be something missing, that's why Eun Jae won't accept me. But what is it?_ Then there was the issue of Ga Eul and Woo Bin. Woo Bin reaching Ga Eul before him, Woo Bin saving Ga Eul instead of him, Woo Bin playing the hero… A deep crease formed between his eyebrows, but he smoothed it out just as quickly. _Why should I care? Chu Ga Eul is just someone unimportant, what business is it of mine if… _The next thought he had was so ludicrous that he chased it away as soon as it appeared. _If she wants to be with Woo Bin? _

"Bang!" The door to the lounge was threw open. With a barely concealed enraged expression, Woo Bin stormed into the lounge towards Yi Jeong with long angry strides. Ji Hoo stopped strumming his guitar and both him and Jun Pyo looked up in bewilderment at Woo Bin who had just kicked a chair out of the way.

_What's wrong with him, now? _Yi Jeong felt a surge of irrational anger towards his friend but that feeling was soon justified. As he rose from his chair, Woo Bin threw a practiced punch at his jaw. Yi Jeong crumpled to the floor and pain seared his jaw. "What the hell are you doing?!" Jun Pyo threw the magazine advertising private jets on the couch and stormed over. Woo Bin's mouth was a hard line. "You ask Yi Jeong." Yi Jeong slowly got up and pressed a finger at the side of his mouth; red stained his fingertip.

"I know what it's about. It's Ga Eul, isn't it?" Yi Jeong started, and sensing on interruption from his friend, he continued. "You must obviously know that I've never liked Ga Eul. She's only a friend to me, but she's the one who thinks it's something more. In any case, since Eun Jae is back, you can go after Ga Eul. After all, I don't really care."

_(Woo Bin)_

He was flabbergasted. _How can Yi Jeong say that?_ A wave of anger crashed over his mind again, and he seized Yi Jeong by his collar. "What? Going to hit me? All because of Chu Ga Eul?" His friend taunted him, a pronounced smirk on his face. "Woo Bin." A warning voice that belonged to Ji Hoo vaguely registered in his mind. "Let go of Yi Jeong."

He dropped his hand and turned away. "I'm sorry, I forgot myself." Feeling Yi Jeong's cold stare burn into his back, regret for his rash actions surfaced. A slight gust of wind blew behind him, and the door was slammed shut. Woo Bin knew Yi Jeong was gone. "Now Yi Jeong's not here, will you please tell us what that was about just now?" That was Jun Pyo, trying to get back on track.

_(Yi Jeong)_

"How is it, doctor?" Yi Jeong leaned back in the chair, pain throbbing through his jaw occasionally. The doctor looked up from his medical report on which he had been scribbling furiously and replied, "Well, you were very lucky. If the punch had been another inch to the right, your jaw would have been broken and you would have to undergo a minor operation to set it right. As it is, I'll give you some cream to apply daily and try not to move your jaw too much."

Yi Jeong smiled in the dimming pain of his jaw. Woo Bin had decided to spare him after all.

**Well, how is this chapter? Anyways, again, I apologise for this extremely late update. Btw, I'm going overseas on the 2****nd**** of November, so I'll try my best to squeeze in another update:) Please review, I'll appreciate it!**

**And I know it's not nice of me to request for so many reviews, but can you all nice reviewers go read my other story, Breaking Out? Okay? I don't understand why it has only two reviews at the moment… So review? Come on :D**


	8. Females in Denial

**A/N: Hello! Here we are now, at chapter 8 with 97 reviews! Wow:) I can't believe it. Love you guys:) And I owe a huge apology to you readers, because I take so long to update. It's just that I like all my chapters to be perfect (to me, anyways) and I edit them over and over again. But still, that's no excuse for the extremely late update. Okay, I should just stop babbling and let you get on with the chapter. Thank you once again for reviewing and following my fanfic! Thank you thank you thank you!**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Boys Over Flowers or any characters in it. **

_(Eun Jae)_

Eun Jae's hands pressed into the middle of the clay plate, forming simple swirly designs. "That's nice," A voice commented near her. Looking up violently, the figure of Yi Jeong appeared before her. "My gosh!" She put a hand over her heart. "Yi Jeong. What are you doing here?" _Again. _

Yi Jeong flashed a smile at her. "To watch you work." She rolled her eyes, proceeding to ignore the handsome potter. As she put the finished clay plate away, she reached for another, almost forgetting that Yi Jeong was here. Almost.

Vaguely aware that Yi Jeong had taken a seat opposite her, Eun Jae brushed a strand of hair behind her ear, asking herself the same question every time _he_ came here. _Why does Yi Jeong keep on coming? Didn't I make it clear to him that we can't be together? I think I did. So why isn't he off breaking someone else's heart?_ Then, like always, she remembered that day.

_*Flashback*_

_Eun Jae seems to falter as she sees Yi Jeong walking into the studio, a girl on each arm. He pauses slightly, watching her as she stands quickly, knocking over a ceramic bowl in the process. "I'm sorry!" She apologizes profusely, bending to pick up the broken pieces. Inside, she feels downright horrible. _

_Yi Jeong brought _them _into the pottery studio this time. Isn't this our special place?_

_She can feel his eyes on her. Nervous, her hands jitter uncontrollably and a scratch earns a place on the tip of her finger. Abandoning all attempts to clear the irreparable plate, she squats there, gripping her finger. Yi Jeong is at her side at once, taking her hands in his, the same hands that are so skilled in pottery. The same hands that guided her in making her first vase. The same hands that wiped away her tears the time she was scolded for running around in the workshop when she was young._

"_Are you alright?" He asks, concerned. She doesn't know what to say, but instead looks down. He bends and puts her injured finger to his lips, stemming the blood flow. Reaching into his pocket for a handkerchief, Yi Jeong ties a neat knot over the wound, saying, "This is why I'm always telling you to be careful." He sounds disapproving. _

"_Sorry." Eun Jae steals a glance at the two ladies standing there. She can feel waves of hostility rolling off them. "I'm alright." She says hastily, retracting her hand, breaking their contact. "It seems you have guests, I'll go on ahead." She stands quickly, exiting the workshop. _

_Outside, she curses herself for her stupidity. Fingering the handkerchief, she takes shuddering deep breaths, caught in a dilemma. Eun Jae doesn't know if she should go back to tell him the something that she took a long time preparing for. The something that she has always wanted to tell him but never could. She knows the deadline is by today, because by tomorrow morning, the something will be gone. Besides, today is Valentines Day._

_She hears footsteps behind her. It's Yi Jeong. She turns slowly, not daring to meet his eyes. "Didn't you wait because you had something to say?" His eyes are dark and intense. Steeling herself, she lets it out in a breath before her courage dissipates. "I have a favor."_

"_A favor?"_

_Eun Jae reaches into her pocket for a pink envelope and hands it to Yi Jeong who receives it with one hand. Her eyes are hopeful. "Come to that place by 7, tomorrow morning." _

"_Don't ask the reason!" She adds as she sees his lips parting in a question. _

_The corner of his lips twitches upwards in a small smile. "Cha Eun Jae. What is it?" _

_She grins mysteriously. "I'm going to go." Walking away, she turns back. "Yi Jeong. I…I really hope you come." _

_And then she is gone, her figure retreating into the darkness. Her heart is thudding. Very fast. He doesn't come after her. Her skin tingles with the thrill of it, but she dreads the next morning because there is an unknown variable in the equation. _

_Will he come?_

_*End Of Flashback*_

Distracted by the memory, her hands skidded over the smooth surface of the plate, marring the design. Sighing aloud, she was about to smash her palm into the clay plate when a pair of hands grasped hers from behind. "Since when did Cha Eun Jae give up on her work?"

"Who said I do?" She retorted, well aware that it was Yi Jeong. "It's just…" Her voice trailed off, unsure, unable to give a reason. Yi Jeong chuckled softly, his hands holding hers, changing the design. Before she knew it, Yi Jeong had salvaged her mistake. The simple spiral design was turned into soft ripple-like waves, swirling around the surface of the plate.

Eun Jae felt a spurt of envy. "I see you haven't lost your skill after so many years."

He laughed again, teasing her. "Is that jealousy I hear, Cha Eun Jae?"

She snorted, an unladylike sound. "No way. And why are you here? Not to watch me work, I'm sure. Is it a trip to your museum? Or to your workshop? Maybe the cake shop?" She put her hands on her hip. "So Yi Jeong, I will thank you if you leave me alone for a week. A week. Is it that hard?"

He seemed unfazed by her rant. "We're going to a pottery bar this time."

Eun Jae sighed again. "Fine. I don't know why I always agree when I obviously feel like strangling you now."

Yi Jeong winked at her. "I know you're feeling exactly the opposite. Females are often in denial when in my presence. So, let's go?" He offered her his arm.

Hooking her arm through his, she walked with him to his car. However, this time, unlike the others, she felt slightly unsure, an unknown feeling creeping up her heart. Shaking it off, she continued her bantering with him all the way to the bar.

_(Ga Eul)_

"So Yi Jeong said that?!" Jan Di shrieked, sending the table cloth flying through the air. "I'm going to beat him up now!"

Ga Eul stepped in front of her friend, frowning at her. "See, this is why I didn't want to tell you in the first place. Would you kindly sit down so I can explain to you?" Steering an indignant Jan Di to an empty chair, she sat her down. _Gosh, I shouldn't have let it slip. I knew she would overreact. _

Jan Di huffed angrily. "Tell me, then. I told you, Ga Eul, not to develop any relationship, platonic or not, with So Yi Jeong!" Ga Eul rolled her eyes behind Jan Di. Ga Eul moved to sit opposite her. "I'm okay now, really. Besides, Woo Bin sunbae came to look for me after that, and—"

She realised her mistake too late. She could see from Jan Di's face that she had said the absolute wrong thing. "What!" Jan Di exploded. Ga Eul winced. "Chu Ga Eul, are you trying to get yourself injured emotionally, on purpose? First So Yi Jeong, now Song Woo Bin!"

"I didn't ask him to visit me! How is it my fault that he came and asked me out?"

Jan Di's face was redder than it could ever be. Ga Eul noted that she was now standing and stamping on the table cloth. The poor table cloth would be irredeemable after she had vented her anger. "He asked you out, he asked you out? And I suppose you went, being Chu Ga Eul! Well, did you go? Did you?"

"Well, I mean, there was nothing to do at that time, so…"

"Chu Ga Eul!" Her voice echoed around the porridge shop, ringing in Ga Eul's ears. She wondered how many more hours of _this _she had to endure.

**End of chapter! Is this chapter longer than usual? I can't really tell on word doc. Anyways, I know Jan Di's character is a bit (or a lot) OOC, but then if she was really calm, then it wouldn't be fun. And how do you like Eun Jae's character? I personally rather like it:)**

**A random side note: Any avid reader of Artemis Fowl realised that I borrowed a sentence from one of his books to put in Yi Jeong's last sentence? From Eternity Code by Mulch Diggums? Did anyone notice? (Eoin Colfer is by far one of my favourite authors but this has nothing to do with the chapter so I'm shutting up now.)**

**Oh, I'm planning to write about a drunk Yi Jeong. I think it'll be fun. Do you prefer the drunk Yi Jeong to be with Eun Jae, or Ga Eul? Lastly, please review! Thanks:D**


	9. It Won't Come Back

**A/N: Hi! We have, at chapter 9, unfortunately not a nice round number 10, passed the 100 reviews milestone! A huge shout-out to all you readers and reviewers out there, thank you for making this fanfic possible and do continue following it! Really thank you! And since there are only 10 reviews for the previous chapter, I finally decided to write the review responses. Yes, I'm lazy, I know. **

**Meanwhile, enjoy! And thank you for your reviews~**

**Momo-yang: Heh, sorry, I know I must be the slowest fanfic writer in the world, but anyways, here's the chapter you wanted:) And thank you for pointing my mistake out in chapter 2, I'll change it and take note in future:)  
**

**Feistyandfierce: Haha, I know how you feel, YJ and GE are a like a match made in heaven… But my personal feelings have nothing to do with this fanfic so do continue reading! **

**Winnie78: Sure, I'll take your suggestion into consideration. And here's the GaBin scene you wanted. Not my best, but still, enjoy!**

**Jakbnimble: Hello, my really loyal reader and reviewer of Rivaled Love and Breaking Out! I kind of missed your review for the 4****th**** chapter of Breaking Out but it's okay! Thank you for liking my descriptions and the motivational speech! I was actually going to put that in the A/N for the previous chapter but maybe some readers might get offended. In any case, you just kind of reviewed what I wanted to say! Thanks :D**

**Bulletproof Country Bumpkin: Yeah, it sounds exciting, right? And your suggestion sounds quite interesting, I think I might use it, but no promises! And I am so glad you like this story:)**

**Satomika: I never really thought of Jan Di as a mother, lol. Hmm, YJ and EJ, they seem rather nice together too. And sorry the drunk scene you wanted wasn't in this chapter! But I do have a YJ/EJ scene though, here's hoping you'll like it!**

**JennyLie: Haha, I hope you like the way WB/GE's conversation went in this chapter! They have so much chemistry… at least the way I write it :P**

**Queenie: Wow, I guess you're a really loyal fan of YJ/GE! Well, if you want, I can actually PM you if you want the ending, because I don't really want to spoil the end surprise for the rest of the readers here, but I'm not sure if you have a Fanfiction account. PM me if you're interested! Or would you prefer to be kept in suspense and get a weeny bit frustrated at every WB/GE and YJ/EJ scene? It's your choice! :)**

**Albinutzabzz2002: Hi! Here's the update you wanted! Review regularly, please? :D**

**SecretViolet: Delighted you like the plot:) Yes, you wouldn't believe the fun I had writing this particular conversation between WB/GE. And here's the update!**

**Disclaimer (I almost forgot, but actually I could say to refer to the first chapter, but I still add this in every chapter because it provides me with some thinking time before I start writing. Like this A/N, but then, you didn't need to know :P): I do not own BOF or any characters in it. **

* * *

_(Woo Bin)_

"…So it basically went that way." Ga Eul stirred the ice cubes in her drink gloomily.

Woo Bin chuckled. "I guess Jan Di's really mad at me."

"Yeah." She looked up. "You probably shouldn't go near her for a while. In fact, I kind of sneaked out of the porridge shop to meet you."

"Jan Di's really your best friend, huh? She's like your second mother." Woo Bin didn't understand why Jan Di was so mad. It was just a date… with a friend. _Yeah right, going out with the almost-girlfriend of your best friend. Because, Song Woo Bin, that is so smart. _

"Nah, she isn't that bad, but sometimes she's just overprotective. We've been best friends ever since kindergarten." She shot Woo Bin a pointed look. "Like you and Yi Jeong. Did you keep your promise?"

"Well…" Woo Bin paused, fighting to swallow the guilt. What was he supposed to tell her? That he immediately went to look Yi Jeong up, then punched him in the face? Looking at the reproachful look crossing Ga Eul's face, he had a sneaking suspicion that she knew about the incident long ago. Or maybe it was simply that she understood him well. The words slipped out in an instant.

"No, I kind of punched him on the jaw." Anyway, Ga Eul should hate Yi Jeong now. _Should. _

"Woo Bin sunbae!" It was merely a soft sentence, barely above a whisper, but he flinched anyway. The way she said it, it sounded so much like the worst accusation in the world. "Why didn't you keep your promise? Best friends," she enunciated the two words clearly, "do not punch each other." Woo Bin felt like a naughty kid receiving punishment from a teacher. A very pretty teacher.

"I went easy on him. At least I didn't give him a fractured jaw. He should be glad." He mumbled the last sentence. Looking up, he saw the look of horror on Ga Eul's face. "Sunbae! How can you do that! Does he have bandages all over his face now?"

Woo Bin rolled his eyes, ignoring the twinge of jealousy. "No, only a slight bruise. If I destroyed his oh-so-handsome face, he will kill me. And you wouldn't want to see a very-dead me in the hospital, right?"

A small smile played on her face. "Not funny, sunbae. You really shouldn't do that. In any case, it's getting really late. Jan Di'll be looking for me."

"So you got to go? No date this time?" He teased, enjoying the faint blush on Ga Eul's cheeks. He really _was_ sorry to see her go. Here he was, missing her already. And she wasn't even gone. He suppressed the weird urge to smash his head against the table. _Maybe, _he thought, waiting for the familiar surge of adrenaline, _I should go visit them in the nightclub later. Clear my head. _He didn't feel like adding the name Ga Eul at the back of the sentence. Somehow, the idea wasn't so appealing to him anymore.

"Bye sunbae!"

He watched her as she walked out of the café, her hair whipping prettily in the wind. As she left, he couldn't resist calling out. "Pick a time for that date!" He could only guess her response. Trying and failing to keep the grin off his face, he decided that he had to stay away from that girl for the time being. It was seemingly impossible. She was like… like a drug. A very potent drug.

* * *

_(Eun Jae)_

Eun Jae dragged a hand over her forehead, the soles of her flats slapping against the pavement. She was, against her will, hurrying for an appointment that was "very important so you must come", according to a certain Mr So Yi Jeong. Not that she had missed a single one of their meetings. _Yes, meetings_, she decided, _not dates and never will be._ However, there was something about his voice that made her hesitate about brushing off this particular meeting. Perhaps it was really important?

Anyway, there _was_ this one advantage about Yi Jeong asking her out. Her meals were virtually free.

Pushing the glass door open, the welcomed breeze from the air-conditioner washed over her. "I'm sorry I'm late!" Eun Jae dropped into the seat opposite Yi Jeong, panting slightly. "One of my students stayed back to ask me some questions, so I got delayed. And what is it that you wanted to talk to me about this time? Please tell me it's something important, because I had to ask another teacher to help me cover my classes for the rest of today."

A grin tugged at the corner of his lips. "I'm sure it's really important." Raising his hand in the air, Yi Jeong snapped his fingers and a waiter came scurrying to their table. "Coffee with half a packet of sugar and no milk." He smiled almost triumphantly at Eun Jae. "I still remember."

Eun Jae rolled her eyes. "That's so sweet." Her tone of voice suggested anything but. "Could we get on with it? So why did you ask me out?"

Yi Jeong leaned forward, the tips of his fingers touching his chin. "Well, Eun Jae," He continued, looking dead serious, "I want to ask you, what's wrong?"

Eun Jae twisted her fingers on her lap, uncomfortable under his intense gaze. She really shouldn't have come after all. "What do you mean, what's wrong?"

"I mean, why don't you want to go out with me? Why are you hesitating? Is there something's that bothering you?"

_No! Don't ask me about this. _"I do go out with you," she blinked innocently, playing dumb, "I go every time you ask me to."

Yi Jeong sighed, finally leaning back. "Do you have to make me spell it out? Cha Eun Jae, I'm asking why don't you want to become—"

"Stop!" A few customers looked their way curiously. Resisting the childish urge to cover her face with her hands, she breathed deeply. Not that it helped in any way. Why couldn't there be an earthquake now? Or maybe an arsonist who wants to set fire to this café? Or even better and quicker, the roof could collapse! She didn't mind all three; anything to escape the question. Because right now, the question looked and sounded worse that a fire-breathing dragon.

"Um… Nothing really, just that I'm not ready. I… just want to concentrate on my work now. Right, like that." If there was a lame-o-meter for each person, hers would break the meter range.

"Only like that? Are you sure? It's nothing to do with the… incident?" Just then, the waiter arrived with the freshly brewed cup of coffee, saving her from a mortifying death. Saying a silent thank-you to the waiter, she caught Yi Jeong scowling.

Apparently, he wasn't going to give up. "So it's because of that? Is it? If you don't say, I won't know. Tell me."

"Why didn't you come that day?" She let it out all in one breath. Suddenly, the temperature seemed to have dropped a good 10 degrees and Yi Jeong's face darkened even more, if possible. "You want to know?" Her silence was tantamount to her answer.

_(Yi Jeong)_

"That day, when you passed me the envelope, I invited some of my friends to come to my house." He meant friend in the loosest sense of the word. "And when I was partying with them, I accidentally spilled tea over it. But that's not the point. I was thinking, that I didn't dare to go."

"Didn't dare to go?" Eun Jae echoed.

"You should know, for us, we can't choose who we want to be with. Besides, that day, my mother called and asked me to go for a blind date. I was furious. And I was scared… scared to hear it from you. Because you know how the state of my parents' marriage. My dad's like that, maybe even my grandfather's like that. I really couldn't bring myself to do it. I… I might hurt you. I don't want to do that. Can you understand?"

He kept his gaze fixed on the air above Eun Jae's head. He couldn't bring himself to look at her. He didn't know how she thought of him anymore. Still, he never told anyone about this, not even the F4. And today, Eun Jae made him, in a way he could never guess. An awkward silence hung in the space between them.

"Do you know why I asked you to come at 7am in the morning?" Eun Jae's lilting voice sounded. The question was completely unrelated to the long speech he had just made, wasn't it?

"No, why?" Truthfully, Yi Jeong was only mildly interested. But it wouldn't hurt to hear.

"Because my confession, I wanted to show you, not tell you. And only at 7am, when the sun rises, can you then see it. If you miss it, it won't come back anymore."

He didn't miss the implicit meaning.

She continued, the words tumbling out over each other. "And then when I was gone these years, was there someone else that got your attention? Tell me truthfully, Yi Jeong. Was there?"

He couldn't think of what to say. Ga Eul's smiling face floated into his mind without permission and try as he might, the image wouldn't dissipate. Ice-skating with Ga Eul, shopping with Ga Eul, playing the saxophone for Ga Eul… _What's wrong with me!_ Forcing a smile, he provided a helpful answer.

"No. There wasn't."

He noticed Eun Jae relax slightly. "There wasn't?" She asked again, slowly.

"No. Absolutely no one at all." He lied smoothly, while times spent with Ga Eul popped out randomly in his head.

* * *

**It's a cliffhanger! Well, not really, but you get the idea. Btw, just a reminder, school has started, and all the homework and projects are starting to pile up, so I'll be updating slower than usual. I'll try my best, anyway.  
**

**Don't forget to review!**

**Oh, and I just remembered. Sorry if I don't reply to all your reviews, cos some of you leave your reviews in the other chapters rather than the latest one so I might have missed some out. I'll check all in future:)  
**


	10. Be My Girlfriend?

**A/N: I'm really sorry that I haven't updated in an awfully long time, almost 4 months!:( I hope this doesn't disappoint you after a long wait. Enjoy~**

**Jenny Lie: Yeah, I know I'm cruel... but still, glad you like my story:)**

**whitesoeulprince: Wow, I haven't gotten such a long review in like, ever. Haha, thorough analysis of my fanfic:D Eh, I intend to keep the rating K+, so no bed scenes. But I can guarantee an interesting storyline, so look out for future chapters!**

**winnie78: Thank you for being such a loyal reviewer! **

**feistyandfierce: SoEul FTW:) I hope the ending turns out like that. Honestly, I have no idea where this is leading. I just write whatever pops into my mind:) **

**Musiclover24: That was one of the best compliments I ever received for this story:D**

**Satomika: Sure! I hope you enjoy this particular bit and once again, sorry I updated so late.**

**Karma: Yup I agree... Yi Jeong is such a bad liar:( I'm afraid he'll be getting worse. **

**pixiedustchoco: Thanks for taking time out to read and review! At least Math is over for me:D Jiayou for all your exams and chillax~  
**

**Guest: I'll try to avoid cliffhangers and thanks for the compliments:) **

**Sapsparrow13: Thank you! I'm sorry for the late update though.**

**animefreak5253: You like my stories! Did you mean this or also others I wrote?:P And again, I apologise for the late update:( **

**Guest: Thanks for liking my plot anyways:)**

**Agustine: Mmm yeah I agree. I'll include that! **

**Kasumi Izukawa: Thank you! I thought so too:)**

**AdrianaTavarez: I will and thank you for taking time to review :D**

**johnmajormrbluehippopotamus: Woah. Okay. **

**MKyara: Glad you discovered this! And there are lots of WB/GE moments you're looking for in this chapter so I hope you enjoy:)**

* * *

_(Woo Bin) _

His long fingers drummed out a beat on the steering wheel, brows furrowed in concentration. The bouquet of thirteen long-stemmed white roses that sat in the backseat of his Lotus Elise SC seemed heavier than usual. Not that he had ever given white roses, or thirteen at that. Normally, it was a dozen full-bloomed red roses; the typical, classic romance. Girls always ate it up.

However, he reminded himself that this was _Ga Eul _he was dealing with. Innocent, pure, heavenly Ga Eul who would most probably bolt or hide away at the sight of crimson roses. Hence, he decided that white was fitting. Thirteen had a meaning too. It meant that she had a secret admirer that ought to be paid some attention.

_Me._

She couldn't possibly understand the symbolism behind all these, but it was always better to be more meticulous about tiny details. Besides, being the Don Juan, such _important _information was habitually stored in an accessible drawer somewhere near the front of his mind.

"Woo Bin Sunbae!" Turning, Woo Bin saw Ga Eul hurrying towards him in brown boots with buckles round the shin. A pastel winter hat cupped her head and her coat flapped in the feathered wind. Her rosebud lips were curled up in an enthusiastic grin. Briefly, he wondered if she had ever gone to the dentist for braces. Her teeth were impeccably straight.

Reaching out for the door handle, Ga Eul settled into the canary yellow vehicle with easy familiarity. It wasn't entirely surprising, considering the many... interesting dates they had. He fought to keep the smirk off his face as he yanked the gear stick. He was glad she took his advice.

"Sunbae-ah, what fascinating activity do you have in mind this time?" A hint of sarcasm traced her voice. "Why, exactly, did you want me to wear long pants for this occasion?" Woo Bin couldn't help but feel slightly apologetic at the former sentence.

Fascinating was hardly used to describe bungee-climbing where one screamed her lungs out all the way down, or rock-climbing where one refused to move an inch after the third panel. It was also normally not used for pumpkin-carving lessons where the knife simply refused to cut through the skin of the vegetable, or aquarium viewing where all the fish did was hide in man-made caves or laze at the bottom of rocky sand.

All in all, it was an embarrassingly large number of failed dates for a Don Juan, especially him. _At least, _he thought as he sped past a red light, _she still comes every time I ask her out. Something to be proud of. Yi Jeong would be jealous. But then again, maybe he's too busy with his new lady-love to care. _

"Trust me, Ga Eul. It won't be life-threatening or remotely boring this time." He thought it prudent not to mention that it would not be life-threatening _if_ nothing went wrong. Next to him, Ga Eul made a small noise that could be interpreted as a disbelieving snort or excited gasp. He preferred to think the latter.

"It better not, sunbae. I have no wish to die early." The sound sent unexplainable chills down the back of his spine and he suppressed a shudder. He was sure she hadn't meant it that way, but her voice was sultry for the first time ever since he had heard it. Maybe it was just the lack of his social life in the nightclubs.

* * *

_(Yi Jeong)_

He raised a hand in greeting and settled down on the couch, consciously aware of the fidgety presence next to him. Smiling inwardly, he covered her hand with his, and she looked up at him with blue-shadowed eyes. She offered a nervous smile as she read what his twinkling eyes conveyed. _Relax._

"Who's this?" Jun Pyo frowned up from his video game.

Ji Hoo grinned, putting down his guitar. "Hi Eun Jae." Yi Jeong could hear the smile in his voice.

Recognition sparked in the former's eyes. "Ah, Eun Jae." His gaze flicked to the space between the both of them; where their fingers were intertwined. "You're together." He noted that his tone wasn't disapproving, or accusatory, merely interested curiosity. That had to count for something.

Still, the creased forehead did not smooth.

"But what about Ga—" A red blur shot across the room and hit Jun Pyo's stomach, leaving him winded momentarily. "Yah! Who threw this thing?" He snatched the object from the couch and held it up like a trophy. It was an apple.

Yi Jeong glanced sideways at Ji Hoo, who had his hand outstretched in the direction of the fruit bowl. If you took the pieces of his face apart, it looked like each part was having a convulsion. But when you put it back together, it very obviously formed the face of a man who was trying and failing to hold in the gallows of laughter rumbling deep inside him.

Yi Jeong didn't have much time to dwell on this—he swore to give Ji Hoo a hug later for saving his skin—because another disaster swept into the lounge in the form of Geum Jan Di. Tearing his eyes from Jun Pyo who was scowling and attempting to look dignified as he sat back on the couch, he raised his gaze unintentionally to meet Jan Di's.

Under her stare, he cringed mentally. It wasn't raw anger, merely plain disappointment, but that made it all the worse. The kind where you feel like you've let a good friend down, and the only thing you can do to appease her anger is that something that you don't want to do. Yi Jeong turned away guiltily.

There wasn't anything he could do. As Ga Eul appeared in his mind again, it felt as though someone was pushing a white-hot stick of fury into his heart. Suddenly, he wanted nothing more than to rage at her, and Jan Di. _The lot of them are acting like it's my entire fault. What? Abandoning you, breaking your heart? What crap is that? If you wanted to play this game at first, then you should be aware of the consequences. You were the one who stupidly clung onto a promise that I never made. _

_It's your problem. It never was mine. _

He became consciously aware of his hands. Hands that were gripping the soft fabric of the couch, knuckles that had turned white from the force.

"Yi Jeong?" Eun Jae touched his hand anxiously. "Are you okay?"

A smile slid onto his face. "It's nothing. I'm fine."

He couldn't bring himself to look at Jan Di again. The chiding, knowing look might just set him off balance and everything would be ruined. As conversation flowed, with Jun Pyo rightly keeping his mouth shut, his rational self returned. He wondered if part of his premature anger had been directed towards himself unknowingly.

* * *

_(Ga Eul) _

"Are you sure this is safe?" She tucked her hair behind her ear nervously, something that was becoming a habit in the past few minutes.

Woo Bin resisted the urge to roll his eyes as he checked the burner blast valves. "You realise this is the fifth time you've asked that? Relax, you won't die with me around."

Her bottom lip jutted outward in a pout and she turned away from him, preferring instead to look at the vast expanse of the field. The shimmery material of hot air balloon fluttered slightly as wind rolled across the field, mirroring her feelings. Ga Eul couldn't quite place it, but her heart… it was thudding just that bit faster than usual, beating just that much louder than usual.

No, it wasn't apprehension for the balloon ride. It also wasn't the fact that Woo Bin looked exceptionally dashing in his black coat that had silver trimmings. It was simply intuition, accompanied by strange tingling in her fingers and toes, that told her something would be happening later. Something that had to do with the sunbae behind her.

"Ga Eul shii! Are you ready?" She turned. The hot air balloon had swelled to an enormous proportion, with the yellow-jacketed crew straining to hold on to the thick mile of string attached to the balloon. With his hair comically blown to one side, he operated the burner blast valve and a tight orange flame shot into the air.

* * *

_(Woo Bin)_

He watched as she came running towards the basket, her long hair flying underneath her woolly cap. Grinning childishly, she did a half-flip into the basket just as the crew released the aerostat. Deftly manoeuvring the balloon, he looked sideways at Ga Eul, who was leaning over the side, stretching her hands out.

"Sunbae?"

"Yeah?"

She beamed at him happily. "Thank you. I always wanted to do this, but I never had the chance."

_Do what? Ride on the hot air balloon or ride it with me?_

The wind tipped the balloon and he grappled with the controls. "Ga Eul ah, see that box there? Open it, it's for you."

Bending, she flipped the lid. The faint smell of roses wafted out as thirteen long-stemmed white roses emerged from the box.

"Sunbae, you have the same worn book every single man has," She teased, playing with the lilac ribbon on the bouquet. "Everyone gives roses. Isn't the _Don Juan_ supposed to be innovative?"

The corner of his lips quirked up into a crooked smile. "But the worn book has proven itself very useful. All the girls fall for the same methods, don't they?"

Ga Eul laughed delightedly, her eyes crinkling. "Woo Bin sunbae, that's the most general statement I've ever heard. You just haven't met those who don't. But thank you anyway. The white roses are lovely."

"I guessed as much." She moved to stand next to him, their shoulders pressing. Suddenly, he was consciously aware of their close proximity, and his keen sense of smell picked up on her faint lavender perfume.

"So how are you and Yi Jeong sunbae?" She broke the silence.

He kept his eyes on the horizon. "Isn't that my line? How are you and Yi Jeong?"

"I meant after you intentionally injured him when I told you _not to_. It's fine, really. There's nothing for us to talk about anymore and it's just awkward if we meet."

She drew a breath. "At first it hurt a lot, but now it's just this dull ache, and even this is fading. Besides, you shouldn't blame him. We weren't even officially together at all, just me misunderstanding everything. Eun Jae unnie's really glad, right? She deserves this happy ending."

"I can't understand." The basket rocked under wind pressure.

"Of course you don't, sunbae." Mischief coloured her tone. Somehow, he felt her refusal to continue this conversation. "You and Yi Jeong sunbae are the same; both of you only reject, but you never get rejected. So you don't feel the country bumpkin's pain."

_You and Yi Jeong are the same_. The same. The same kind of people who hurt others in love. He wondered, with a painful pang, if she really thought that of him. _But, is that not the reputation I have been building for myself? _

As he fired the blast valve, something brushed against him. Her soft brown hair curled into loose ringlets, tickling the nape of his neck. Lavender wafted towards him again, and the need to express himself explicitly arose. _I want to ask her. No, I need to ask her._ That simple sentence pounded its way forcefully to the centre of his head, to the core of his heart.

"Chu Ga Eul?" Woo Bin had lost control of his mind, and hence his mouth. _Don't say it!_

"Hmm?"

"Do you…" _Shut up! Don't say it! _"I mean…"

Ga Eul turned to look at him strangely. "What is it? Spit it out, sunbae."

_Woo Bin! _Some part of his brain that still retained a portion of his sanity attempted to pummel him back into his senses. _What's wrong with you? Do you wish to die an embarrassing a death or something along the lines of that? I mean it; don't say whatever you're going to say. _

"Be my girlfriend?" _Crap. You've done it. _

She froze. "What?"

* * *

**I can never express my immense gratitude to all you wonderful, wonderful readers out there who are so patient with me. Really, thank you so much for not abandoning this fanfic. I really appreciate it. **

**School's tough (I mean, when isn't it?), so I apologise for the late update. And the cliffhanger:(**

**Thank you again and again for being ever so patient:) I hope this chapter meets your expectations. By the way, reviews make my day! **


	11. It hurts

**A/N: Thank you for all the reviews:) **

**I've been procrastinating again… ****But anyways, hope this was still able to make someone's day:) Review responses are at the bottom of the chapter this time. **

**And because of something that happened recently to one of my classmates, I'd just like to say that whatever happens, remember that you aren't alone. ****Everyone's here to catch you if you fall so close your eyes, and fall bravely. **

**Enjoy~**

* * *

_(Ga Eul)_

"What?" Ga Eul didn't miss the momentary horror that contorted his features, like he couldn't believe his words. Almost like he regretted it. Dense fog clouded her mind, rendering her incapable of coherent speech. Averting his piercing gaze, in the most literal sense of the word, she tried again to sort out her thinking.

_Number 1. He's Song Woo Bin sunbae. _

_Number 2. He's a player, or a Don Juan._

_Number 3. _

_Number 3._

_Number 3. He has just asked me out. _

_Number 4. Impossible. _

"Woo Bin sunbae? Are you even listening to yourself?" She couldn't believe it. She _wouldn't _believe it.

"I mean… Look, I'm just your friend. Maybe these past few weeks made you confused about your feelings about me but – I don't know – I'm _Ga Eul_. You shouldn't be doing this – confessing, because it's wrong. You're a good friend to me, and that's it. I don't feel anything more than that—"

The words stuck in her throat as Woo Bin raised his unflinching dark eyes to her hesitant ones. "Are you sure? Nothing?"

A second ago, it was her that was unyielding, the brave one, the sure one. But now… The words _confidence _and _certainty_ were scrawled across his features. Her fingers pinched the edges of her shirt nervously and she worked to keep the doubtfulness off her face. She was wavering.

"Yes. I feel nothing beyond friendship for you." The butterflies in her stomach and her flipping heart betrayed the sentence. In truth, the abrupt "Be my girlfriend?" stirred something within her. She didn't know what, but it was simply that. _Something._ Perhaps she had thought of him too long as a friend, and the idea of more was overwhelming.

_Or maybe, you just can't forget Yi Jeong…_ A traitorous voice sounded inside her.

She tuned back to what Woo Bin was saying. Absently, she noted that he had let go off the controls on the hot air balloon. Maybe there was an autopilot option? "You're lying and you know that."

Ga Eul felt her ears turning red. Since when did he become a lie detector? "How do you know that?" Aggressively.

"Maybe because I'm not exactly blind. Your ears are crimson, as are your cheeks, and your fingers are about to tear the hem of your shirt. And your nostrils are flaring. Aren't those Ga Eul-ish signs of lying?"

Now her neck was growing hotter. "They are not! Why—"

Woo Bin cut her off impatiently. "Listen, Ga Eul. If I made you uncomfortable, I'm sorry. Just… listen to this, okay?"

"Before, I always saw you as Yi Jeong's girl, and supposedly my good friend. The only female friend I ever had that actually respected my views and offered advice when I quarreled with my friend. It also helped that you weren't trying to get into my pants the whole time."

"Then, both of you kind of broke up, considering he didn't officially announce you as his girlfriend, and I comforted you at the porridge shop. I finally _saw_ you that day. As Chu Ga Eul, not Yi Jeong's sort-of girlfriend, not Jan Di's best friend, not anyone's. Just you."

"I suppose that was what attracted me. You're the kind of blend-into-the-background sort of girl, not the glamour girl that females around me seem to be. So to cheer you up, I took you around on tours. If you must know, those dates were a novelty to me, a game. A game of how long it took for me to grow sick of the dates, the fun."

For the first time, she interrupted. "Of me."

"No. Trust me, never of you. I saw how much the regular dates meant to you, and the effort you seemed to put in in every one. I saw they made you happier. So on those days, I tried harder. To be myself around you, not what everyone expects me to be. And somewhere along the way, it just happened. I don't know how, or why, but I fell for you."

"So… today happened?"

"Yeah, _because_. Ga Eul-shii," He used the familiar form of address and that somewhat pulled her back to reality. "Do you want to reconsider my offer of being my girlfriend?"

"I understand if you're not ready. I wasn't exactly prepared myself, so tell me if you want to think about it. I don't mind, I really don't." His eyes sparkled with excitement. "But don't tell me you don't like me, because that's lying, and I don't appreciate it when I'm being lied to."

He meant it as a joke, but she took it as a warning.

Ga Eul opened her mouth, and then hesitating, she shut it. It was like an unbidden fantasy. She wondered what it would be like to start again. She knew that he wasn't like _him_. He was humorous if not witty, rash, caring, romantic and _open_. He was open because he had nothing to hide. He shared almost everything.

On the other hand, _he_ was sarcastic, hurting, uncaring and _guarded_. So much that she wasn't sure which and when was the real him. But he was perfect. He _felt_ correct. _Because you still like him._ She told herself no. But like always, she was indecisive. _Because you still can't forget him. _The voices pounded relentlessly. _Because you hope that one day he'll be back with open arms. Because you still wish. _

"Yes. Yes, I will. I'll be your girlfriend."

She felt herself being enfolded into Woo Bin's arms, and she breathed his heady scent in and relaxed. This moment was more than anything else she could have wanted, and yet it was still incorrect. The place was wrong, the time was wrong, the weather, even though it was bright and sunny, was wrong. Most of all, as she stared unseeingly past his shoulder, the unfamiliar shoulder, the person was wrong.

The butterflies, the heart gymnastics was not, she now realised, for Woo Bin. It was for the thought of finally leaving _him_, even though she knew that he had done that much more easily than her. In his gentle embrace, her heart thudded deceitfully. Not for the man within reach, but for the one beyond her fingertips on the other side of the world.

As Ga Eul willed her arms to push him away, she found they had turned to lead. She could not reject him. She didn't want him to feel the crushing disappointment she had once felt herself. The closeness that she had once expected to be pleasantly intoxicating was now painfully suffocating. Now, she was surer than ever. She felt for him simply, merely as a friend, nothing more.

The voices would not go away. _Because you still like him_.

* * *

_(Yi Jeong) _

Eun Jae laced her fingers through his as they strolled along a garden path. "Yi Jeong ah?"

"Yeah?"

"Just now, Jun Pyo mentioned someone. 'Ga…' You know who she is?"

He tensed up, his fingers tightening around her hand. "Why are you asking?"

She pulled away, frowning slightly. "That hurts. You didn't have to sound so hostile, I'm just curious."

Trying for an apologetic smile, he took her hand gently. "I'm sorry. No, I don't know who she is. Improvising wildly, he continued. "Woo Bin's friend or something." _The girl that Woo Bin likes; that backstabber._ There was a sour taste in his mouth. Maybe he had imagined it.

"Oh. Because I once had a student in my pottery class with the name Ga Eul, so I just thought of her." Tilting her head slightly, she remembered. "She was a very nice student, almost the same age as me, I think. And I was wondering why she would take up pottery when the rest of the students were middle-aged housewives wanting to learn something to pass time." She laughed lightly. "We got along really well."

Yi Jeong clenched his fist, only this time, he remembered to do it with his free hand, which he stuffed into his coat pocket. _Surely that country bumpkin didn't mention my name to Eun Jae…_

"She told me why she picked up pottery. It was to impress this guy she met. After a while, she got really good at it. Her only flaw was that she used too much strength to shape the clay. But you know what the interesting thing was?"

"What?" _Stop it, Eun Jae. I really don't want to know. _

"The description of the person she liked? It fit you exactly!" Another delighted laugh. "I actually thought it was you, but since you said you don't know her, then… I guess it's your doppelganger."

"Like me?" He spoke through clenched jaws.

"Yes, like you. She said he was very charming, with messy black hair and captivating dark brown eyes. He was a skilled potter and had long, nimble fingers. Oh, she said he was a player."

"So she learned pottery because of that person?"

"Mmm." Her lips stretched into a dreamy smile. "That's so sweet of her, wasn't it? It was quite obvious that she liked him a lot but she didn't dare to go after him bravely. Every time she saw him, he would be around girls far better than her, and she always felt inferior. Besides, he scared her sometimes."

_I scare her?_ "He scared her?"

"She said his eyes were bottomless pits of ice, especially when he was with her. And he never told her anything about himself, or his family. She didn't know his favourite colour, his favourite food, or whether he had siblings. It was like there was a rift between them, an invisible wall he built to keep her away. She couldn't cross that line."

"And… and did your student tell you that person's name?"

"No, but she quitted class recently. I wonder if they got together already. It would be a shame if that person missed out on Ga Eul; she's too nice." She paused, contemplating. "Yi Jeong, if it were you, would you go out with her?"

His heart stopped. _Would you go out with her?_ "Eun Jae," He snapped her name, his sigh coming out as an angry hiss, "Would you stop this? Honestly, I'm not interested in the private affairs of your student or your friend or whoever she is. So just leave it, will you?" In his agitation, he let her hand slide from his.

Eun Jae stopped. "Fine, if that's what you want. Besides," her voice took on a frosty tone, one that she had never adopted while talking to him, "even if you wanted, she wouldn't have accepted you. She's too good for _you_."

Bringing her shoulders up in a half-shrug, she continued. "Sometimes, even I don't understand you. One minute you're fine, and the next you just… lose it. I don't know about you, but _I'm tired._"

He felt his anger ebb away. "Eun Jae, I—"

She cut him off. "I just thought you should know."

As he watched her walk off into the distance, mindless fury took hold of him again; fury which caused him to swing a punch into the trunk of a tree. It wasn't at Eun Jae, or Ga Eul for that matter, it was simply _him. _

He wanted to call Eun Jae back, and tell her sorry. Tell her he was sorry they argued, sorry he lost his temper over a small matter. Apologise for being a moody bastard recently, for not giving her the attention she deserved. Most of all, he wanted to ask forgiveness for lying about Ga Eul.

But he couldn't. He didn't want to ruin the fragile trust that now hung between the both of them. The trust that was built upon his lies. _Or maybe_, he thought morosely as he turned towards the other direction, _I'm just a pathetic coward. _

* * *

_(Jan Di)_

She stared as Ga Eul dragged herself into the shop. "I'm back."

"I can see that. Care to say what's wrong?"

The girl took her apron from the hanger. "Woo Bin sunbae asked me to be his girlfriend and I agreed."

Apart from the ticking clock, there was a moment of silence as Jan Di chewed over her words. "So now you're his girlfriend?"

"Aren't you angry." It was a statement.

"I don't have the heart to be when I see you in this state. Your eyes are literally dead and you've worn your apron back to front." She wrestled the piece of clothing from her friend. "So sit down and tell me what happened."

Ga Eul put her head in her hands. "I don't know. I'm supposed to be happy, but I'm not. And don't tell anyone," sounding like a little kindergartner again, "but I think I still like Yi Jeong sunbae. I don't want to tell Woo Bin sunbae that. Because he'll be so upset."

She regarded her almost sadly. "You don't make yourself uncomfortable just to let others be happy, Ga Eul. If you feel you're dying inside, which you look like outside, then tell him."

"I can't… Jan Di, I just can't forget Yi Jeong sunbae. What to do? I tried, really I did, but I just… can't. You understand?" The last part came out as a broken whisper.

Reaching over, she gave her a little shake on her shoulders. "I understand. Sometimes it gets really hard, but you learn. You learn to deal with it, because that's the only way out. I understand, but you need to understand too. Life isn't just about this, okay?"

"Yeah." The smile was hollow. "I get it. Thanks, Jan Di. I'll try." Then the tears started flowing. Jan Di moved over to pull her into a hug.

"The tears won't stop. They won't!"

"It's okay." She patted her back. "It's okay. I'm here; just let them fall."

* * *

**Oh gosh, I can't believe I wrote that chapter. I'm sorry if it made you feel depressed or anything, because it made me too. Trust me on this, I wasn't planning to go this way, but the story just pushed me along. **

**By the way, I'm sure no one checks my profile page, so I'm just putting it here. For Spanish readers, I gave Zurita Saotome permission to translate this fanfiction into Spanish so if you wish to, you can check out the translated version. But please remember that it's written by me! **

* * *

**Momo-yang: I'm sorry I made you wait so long, but here it is!**

**AnimeApprentice: I hope you find this as enchanting:)**

**Erza Fullbuster LOVE: She accepts him, but it isn't always happy for the both of them. **

**AdrianaTavarez: Yay I updated! And like I said, I think Ga Eul's in a lot of pain over this proposal. **

**Jenny Lie: Wow, 2 long review. Thank you for rating my story as fantastic and awesome :D I love you too for reviewing! **

**Satomika: Not a cliffhanger this time! We all have rough times, so I hope you've passed yours (as I have mine)! And sorry I wasn't able to complete this earlier to cheer you up.**

**chelita: Yup, I was… busy for really long. **

**angel0014: Thank you! But don't hate Yi Jeong… I think he's in pain too. Now this sounds weird, why would I be defending him?**

**MKyara: Yes I know! Like finally Woo Bin does it! I bet you've been waiting for forever:)**

**leeyuri41: Thank you! I'm glad you love the fanfiction and the way I shape Woo Bin's character:) **

**Andantecantabile: Happy ever after… I'll consider that maybe:)**

**Guest: No cliffhangers this time! Here's my update:)**

**Selenite Andromeda: Yes, I'll definitely continue. Thank you for making an effort to read this and I hope you improve in your English soon!**

**B12Gaby: Haha XD Well, I updated!**

**Patricia Bustos: I'm sorry but I don't think I can do this in Spanish:( I don't know Spanish at all but you can check out Zurita Saotome's profile page. I gave her permission to translate this entire thing into Spanish. **

* * *

**To end off this gloomy chapter, I have a quote for you to cheer you up! **

_Today you are you, and that is truer that true. There is no one alive who is youer than you. _

_-Dr Seuss_

**Don't forget that you're unique just the way you are:)**


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